Olli Varis
Distinguished Professor
Distinguished Professor
T213 Built Environment
I am professor of Water Resources Management with a focus on water, environment and development research and consultation. My research concentrates on sustainable development and water resources management in developing and emerging economies, particularly in Asia. In my particular interest are global water resources and their interrelations to sectors such as agriculture and energy, and in relation to drivers such as climate change, urbanization, poverty, environment and economic development.
I am active in several international organizations including UNESCO, WMO, IWRA (Vice President 2007-2009), IWA, IIASA and UNU/WIDER. I was a Vice Dean of Reseach and Innovation of Aalto School of Engineering in 2013-2018, Counsellor at the Supreme Administrational Court of Finland in 2006-2015, and am Distinguished Adjunct Professor at Asian Institute of Technology, Thailand.
Full researcher profile
https://research.aalto.fi/...
Email
[email protected]
Phone number
+358504066245
Areas of expertise
Water resources, Water engineering, Large river basins, Water resources management, Social and environmental impact assessment, Water and security studies, Vulnerability analyses
Honors and awards
Aalto Pioneering Excellence Award 2021
Aalto Pioneering Excellence Award 2021 for Majakka doctoral education project at Aalto School of Engineering
Award or honor granted for a specific work
Department of Built Environment
Jan 2021
Aalto Excellence Award 2018
Aalto Award for Excellence in enhancing business, design, engineering, and technology, and research-based innovation in the academic year 2016-17, awarded to Majakka Doctoral Education Pilot Prooject
Award or honor granted for a specific work
Water and Environmental Eng.
Jan 2018
Best Research Paper 2023 Award
Award or honor granted for a specific work
Water and Environmental Eng.
Sep 2023
The International Deed of the Year: Sustainable Global Technologies Programme
Aalto student union (AYY) award for the Sustainable Global Technologies Programme for the International Deed of the Year 2017 for truly global approach to teaching and sustainable development. With the prize AYY wants to point out the importance of quality internationalization in Aalto and encourage both students and staff to work together for a better, more global-minded and open Aalto.
Award or honor granted for a specific work
Water and Environmental Eng.
May 2018
Environmental Research Letters: Best paper award 2010
Award or honor granted for a specific work
Department of Built Environment
Jan 2010
Julkaisupalkinto Vesiyhdistys, Finland
Award or honor granted for a specific work
Department of Built Environment
Jan 1999
TKK:n Rakennus- ja yhdyskuntatekniikan osaston kilpailu tutkimuksen tekijoille, 1. palkinto TKK, Rakennus- ja yhdyskuntakniikan osasto, Finland
Invitation or ranking in competition
Department of Built Environment
Jan 1997
Julkaisupalkinto TKK, Rakennus- ja yhdyskuntatekniikan osasto, Finland
Award or honor granted for a specific work
Department of Built Environment
Jan 1998
TKK:n sisäinen tutkimuksen kärkiryhmä Teknillinen korkeakoulu, Finland
Award or honor granted for a specific work
Department of Built Environment
Jan 2003
Research groups
- Water and Environmental Eng., Aalto Distinguished Professor
Publications
Towards transformative learning : students’ disorienting dilemmas and coping strategies in interdisciplinary problem-based learning
Xiaoqi Feng, Julia Sundman, Hanna Aarnio, Maija Taka, Marko Keskinen, Olli Varis
2024
European Journal of Engineering Education
The dry sky : future scenarios for humanity’s modification of the atmospheric water cycle
Patrick W. Keys, Lan Wang-Erlandsson, Michele Lee Moore, Agnes Pranindita, Fabian Stenzel, Olli Varis, Rekha Warrier, R. Bin Wong, Paolo D’Odorico, Carl Folke
2024
Global Sustainability
Effects of new-type urbanization on resource pressure : Evidence from a water-energy-food system perspective in China
Qing Xia, Guiliang Tian, Dandan Zhao, Qiuya Zhao, Olli Varis
2024
Sustainable Cities and Society
Water consumption and biodiversity : Responses to global emergency events
Dandan Zhao, Junguo Liu, Laixiang Sun, Klaus Hubacek, Stephan Pfister, Kuishuang Feng, Heran Zheng, Xu Peng, Daoping Wang, Hong Yang, Lei Shen, Fei Lun, Xu Zhao, Bin Chen, Marko Keskinen, Shaohui Zhang, Jialiang Cai, Olli Varis
2024
Science Bulletin
To Withdraw, Investigate, Negotiate Or Integrate? Students' Coping Strategies With Disorienting Dilemmas In Interdisciplinary Project Courses
Xiaoqi Feng, Julia Sundman, Hanna Aarnio, Maija Taka, Marko Keskinen, Olli Varis
2023
SEFI 2023 - 51st Annual Conference of the European Society for Engineering Education
Increased probability of hot and dry weather extremes during the growing season threatens global crop yields
Matias Heino, Pekka Kinnunen, Weston Anderson, Deepak K. Ray, Michael J. Puma, Olli Varis, Stefan Siebert, Matti Kummu
2023
Scientific Reports
Evidence of waste management impacting severe diarrhea prevalence more than WASH : An exhaustive analysis with Brazilian municipal-level data
Anni Juvakoski, Henrik Rantanen, Michela Mulas, Francesco Corona, Riku Vahala, Olli Varis, Ilkka Mellin
2023
Water Research
World’s human migration patterns in 2000–2019 unveiled by high-resolution data
Venla Niva, Alexander Horton, Vili Virkki, Matias Heino, Maria Kosonen, Marko Kallio, Pekka Kinnunen, Guy J. Abel, Raya Muttarak, Maija Taka, Olli Varis, Matti Kummu
2023
Nature Human Behaviour
From Rookies To Synthesis: Agile Solutions For Sustainable Doctoral Studies
Maija Taka, Jaana Suviniitty, Olli Varis
2023
SEFI 2023 - 51st Annual Conference of the European Society for Engineering Education
Making waves : Mental health impacts of inadequate drinking water services — From sidenote to research focus
A. Toivettula, O. Varis, R. Vahala, A. Juvakoski
2023
Water Research